RTW Travel Articles from April, 2008

Stuff you should bring and stuff you should leave home

Tuesday, April 29th, 2008

There is a really interesting thread on the RTW section of the BootsnAll travel forums about things you regret bringing and things you regret not bringing. You might even want to read it first if you haven’t already, because this sort of communication is invaluable for those planning their trip now. There are many things that people recommend we bring or don’t bring, because in theory there are good reasons behind the logic. But in practice sometimes things don’t work out the way the theory suggests.

I’d like to weigh in a few of the items mentioned, but my advice isn’t necessarily any better than the advice of those participating in the thread. If you aren’t actively reading the BootsnAll boards and specifically the Around the World and Vagabonding Travel forum, you probably should. (more…)

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Videotaping your RTW trip

Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008

Only a few years ago the idea of bringing a video camera on your RTW trip would have been unthinkable unless you had a great passion for travel videos or you were that goofy dancing guy (AKA where the hell is Matt) on those sponsored trips. There were a few major reasons why this wasn’t a good idea, largely having to do with the cost of a decent camera, the size of the thing, and the amount of time it took to recharge the battery.

But now that things are changing technology-wise, it’s not quite as easy to dismiss the idea altogether. First off, the cameras are getting smaller and cheaper, along with everything else having to do with portable electronics. Only a few years ago it would cost US$1,000 for a decent video camera, and of course bringing expensive things on a RTW trip is something to avoid whenever possible. But now that better cameras are half that price the debate has changed a bit, and bringing a video camera in addition to your normal camera isn’t so crazy anymore. (more…)

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Local festivals and events don’t always mix well with RTW travel

Tuesday, April 15th, 2008

When you plan your initial RTW route it can be tempting to try to schedule as many famous events and festivals as you can. Certainly a few things like this can and will be unforgettable, but there are also some downsides to trying to be in all the most important places at the absolute peak time while on your RTW.

Let’s say you’ll be going through Spain, France, and Germany, and you’ve always wanted to see the running of the bulls at Pamplona, the Tour de France bicycle race, and Oktoberfest. The first two are in July and Oktoberfest starts in mid September, so it may not be the best example, but the point is that as good as these things sound when you are at home, they can be overwhelming in more than small doses while you are on the road.

By trying to follow the schedule of famous events not only do you take much of the freedom out of your own journey, but you’ll also be spending much of your time moving with massive herds of other people. Worse still, you will be going to places at the absolutely busiest time of their busy season, so finding a hostel or bed might become nearly impossible, and when you find it you’ll have to pay a huge premium in many cases.

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Flights within Europe can be cheap, confusing

Tuesday, April 8th, 2008

If you’ve spent much time in Europe in the last 5 years or so this will all be familiar to you, but if not this might be interesting information for your RTW trip, or at least the part that skips through Europe. Last time I wrote about buses being a good money-saving alternative to trains, but in certain cases short flights can be the cheapest transportation method of all.

You are probably aware that Europe has more than its fair share of discount airlines like easyJet and Ryanair. They can have extremely low fares, but there are two things you have to pay close attention to before you consider flying your way around Europe. One is that most of these low fares are only available long in advance, at least for the more convenient flight times on each day.

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Getting around Europe can be cheap

Tuesday, April 1st, 2008

Europe can be a real budget drainer of a continent, especially if you spend much time in the northern half on your RTW trip. For the most part, the further north in Europe you are the more expensive things are, and that goes for transportation as well. It’s not just that the distances in the north are farther between each city, it’s also that each kilometer is more expensive as well.

Should you get a Eurail Pass for your RTW?

Unless you will be traveling around the northern half of Europe for a while it’s probably not worth it, but if you are hitting Scandinavia, the Netherlands, and Germany it can be a big money saver. There are some cheaper ways of getting around, as we’ll discuss below, but in that part of Europe the train and a Eurail Pass are probably the best ways of going.

Buses in Europe are cheaper and better than you probably realize

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